Calling all Berkeley-Haas Fall 2011 Applicants

So you had Kellogg's deposit deadline to face.

I had my employer, who had been extremely understanding: "we totally support you going to business school, but if they don't deliver, we will, and we're going to promote you, but we'd like you to commit for a certain period."

So I thought: "great, well let me put all my chips into getting into Haas - including completing supplementary coursework and flying out to see the place (which cost me thousands of dollars as I'm as far away from California as you can get), and give it a final push." And I let Haas know, delicately but clearly, that my firm really wants to retain me, but my preference is to matriculate at Berkeley.

Viewed logically, this puts me in a bind. I have three options
A) Refuse the promotion in the hopes of getting into Haas in June
B) Take the promotion and withdraw from the WL
C) Take the promotion, stay on the WL

I have big moral problem with C; two of my recommenders highlighted my integrity and while I don't want to make too fine a point of it, MY WORD IS MY WORD (not to mention I'd make THEM look silly by gaming them that way). A is an analytically unsound choice because I'd be choosing an uncertain outcome (admission off the WL, where the odds aren't good) over the certainty of a big raise (probability of one).

By the way, congratulations on Kellogg - obviously a fantastic program and one that I'll apply to this fall if this how things are going to turn out.

Thanks

Your situation is difficult indeed, but I agree with you that it sounds more reasonable to take the promotion and withdraw from the WL. I don't feel very confident in Haas taking up people from the WL, as they said themselves they only took a few so far.
Obviously do make sure that the promotion really is worth it, but I think that's your best shot for now.

Osborne, I'd take the promotion. While you can be extremely sensitive about the year you lose due to postponing your b-school dreams, Haas's waitlist is a major pain in the neck. Acceptance was 4% last year and adcom mentioned last week that this year it could be worse. Also, as a re-applicant, you'll have a distinct advantage at schools you are applying for the first time.

In all honesty, I really wonder why people prefer Haas over other top schools. Pretty sure most top-15 schools can place candidates in the bay area if one networks hard enough. I know VC is bloody good along with Berkeley brand but apart from these, education/people from anywhere else should not be too different from Haas. I applied there as I live 4 miles from there and can practically see their building in the hills from my balcony. Not to mention my wife works a few blocks from there. Well, that's a story for another day.

Just my 2 cents.

I'm an R2 Waitlisted candidate. Just got an update email - they are holding my app for further review.

R2 waitlist candidate - email today saying they're holding my app for further review. does anyone have a sense of how many people (of the original ~480) are still on the waitlist? the email said they've dinged quite a few...

i'm moving to the bay area this summer regardless of whether I am accepted but it would be nice to know if I should start looking for a job!

I hope this helps some of you with your decisions. I've heard they have had a higher than usual yield this year from R1 & R2. And based on conversations, it seems like a high number are accepting. I know this is not what you want to hear but if you are throwing all your eggs in this basket, you are going in for a gamble.

Has anyone taken the exam, i was wondering if there is a thread to discuss study material. I'm a R3 EWMBA applicant- still waiting for a decision. But i was thinking it may not hurt to take the exam or to atleast begin preparing for it.
Here is the syllabus:

You should demonstrate sufficient competence with such tasks as deriving probabilities, finding
the mean, variance, and standard deviation for data sets and for a random variable, developing a
confidence interval, determining sample size, conducting a hypothesis test, and evaluating a
(linear) regression model. In problems where a specific knowledge of business or economics is
needed, relevant information/clarification will be provided. Standard Normal, t and F
Distribution tables will be provided.

still on WL here, got the email from the adcom. I am withdrawing to goto another school. Good luck guys!

curious if anyone who applied full time R4 has heard any news?

The waitlist process at Haas is shockingly unreasonable. They offer a great program, but nothing that's worth sacrificing the rewards of your achievements for. If I were you, I'd choose option B and apply to other schools when the timing is right. The first pitcher of beer is on me when you fly out to visit Ann Arbor

I got invited for an interview next week ...

Would you folks mind sharing some "tips" or your experience in the interview?

I'm sorry for everyone for whom it didn't work out this year.

For a class of 240, why do we need 480 on the waitlist?

Information source of 480 WLs from Adcom?

someone posted that number in an earlier post. Not sure if it is 480, but it is probably in the 400s, I think... Anyway the WL process is more painful than a straight no..

Last year it was over 400. I don't think anyone has any information regarding the number of waitlisted applicants this year. I'm a R2 WL'er, they are keeping my application for further review... I'll keep on waiting. Good luck guys!

On or off campus? Alum, student, or adcom?
calling-all-berkeley-haas-fall-2011-applicants-93931-1020.html?hilit=Haas%20lyons#p865628 Here are some of the things I posted a few months back when R2 applicants were asking for information (I was an R1 admit).
Here are a few more things I posted about my interview: calling-all-berkeley-haas-fall-2011-applicants-93931-560.html#p840442

It's an on campus interview...and that's all it says. No idea whether its alumus / adcom, etc.

Since it's on-campus - is there any certainty that it will be a certain type of interviewer?